Grandad’s Christmas wish-list revealed
05 Jan 10
Grandad says no to socks, handkerchiefs and woolly jumpers. He’d prefer a Wii.
Brits are set to spend £18.7 billion on Christmas gifts this year, but our generosity won’t be spread equally among our nearest and dearest.
Grandads will draw the short straw, receiving presents worth an average of just £17 each, according to the new research published today by ING Direct.
This compares with the big Christmas winners, wives and girlfriends, who will pick up gifts worth an average of £150 and £161 respectively from their men-folk this year.
And grandad isn’t just losing out when it comes to the cost of presents, but also the thought that goes into buying them. Overall, he’s much more likely to receive ‘bog standard’ gifts like socks, handkerchiefs and aftershave – despite the fact that, contrary to stereotypes, his Christmas wish list includes i-Pods, digital cameras and even Nintendo Wiis.
However, what grandad most wants this Christmas can’t be found in the shops, with nearly half saying they’d prefer to receive fewer gifts and have their family spend more time with them instead.
Like Grandad, perhaps we’re all feeling a little less materialistic this year, with Christmas spending set to fall compared to last year. According to the findings, this year’s average spend will total around £413, compared to a little over £444 in Xmas 2008.
And we’ll not only spend less this Christmas, but will also change the way we meet the cost of gifts. The research suggests a move away from a reliance on credit this year, while at the same time the number of people using dedicated savings for their Christmas shopping has increased by 50 per cent.
ING Direct CEO Johan de Wit commented: “It’s great that more people have taken the sensible step of saving for Christmas expenses this year, rather than relying on credit and facing a financial hangover in the New Year.”
The ING Direct research also reveals that the value of the presents received will vary considerably depending on where you live. And it appears that higher earnings don’t equate to greater generosity, with Londoners spending the least at Christmas time (£337). The most generous gift givers actually hail from the North East and Wales, splashing an average of £578 and £523 respectively.
Click here to listen to the latest radio coverage about Grandad’s Christmas wish-list.
Grandad’s Wish-List
For those who aren’t strapped for cash, but struggling for inspiration, ING Direct has used its research to put together some top gifts for grandad. A taster of the top five is below, with the full findings available at
here:
1. Electronics and gadgets: Digital cameras, MP3 players and digital radios
2. New mobile phones
3. Model kits and remote control vehicles, artist materials and DIY tools
4. Coats and jeans
5. Single malt whisky and wine
Family Fortunes Xmas League table (£ spent on each relative)
| 1. Girlfriends |
£161.50 |
| 2. Wives |
£150.90 |
| 3. Daughter |
£142.80 |
| 4. Son |
£129.20 |
| 5. Boyfriend |
£122.00 |
| 6. Husband |
£108.50 |
| 7. Granddaughter |
£71.00 |
| 8. Grandson |
£67.10 |
| 9. Mother |
£44.10 |
| 10. Father |
£39.40 |
| 11. Sister |
£32.90 |
| 12. Brother |
£30.60 |
| 13. Grandmother |
£19.00 |
| 14. Grandad |
£17.40 |
Regional Tables (spend per adult by region)
| UK average |
£413.50 |
| North East |
£578.90 |
| Wales |
£523.30 |
| North West |
£512.70 |
| Scotland |
£451.00 |
| East Midlands |
£430.00 |
| East of England |
£421.80 |
| Yorkshire |
£375.10 |
| South East |
£368.50 |
| South West |
£360.90 |
| West Midlands |
£360.40 |
| Northern Ireland |
£363.70 |
| London
|
£337.60 |
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